


The Camera Eye: Just a Number

by puss_nd_boots



Series: The Camera Eye [75]
Category: DIAURA, Gotcharocka, Lycaon (Band), Royz
Genre: Alternate Universe - Porn, Anal Sex, Deepthroating, M/M, Oral Sex, Polyamory
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-22
Updated: 2017-01-22
Packaged: 2018-09-19 04:22:03
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 14,530
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9418493
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/puss_nd_boots/pseuds/puss_nd_boots
Summary: Subaru has a brand-new co-star for a video shoot in Hokkaido. Things are going wonderfully for them both off- and on-camera – until Subaru finds out something about him . . .





	

**Author's Note:**

> Part of an ongoing porn industry AU series. Royz and Kiryu belong to B.P. Records, Gotcharocka belongs to God Child Records, Initial’L is property of Battle Cry Sound Company, DIAURA belongs to Ains, I own the story only. The Camera Eye returns after having been on hiatus for a few months while I wrote A Sort of Fairy Tale (and then took a hiatus from writing altogether for about a month after I finished that monster)! It seems that these two muses, the stars of Fairy Tale, aren't ready to let go of each other yet! Yes, Furano is a real ski resort in Hokkaido, it really has an ice bar and it's really served by Do Airlines, the official airline of Hokkaido!

Anyone, no matter how open and accepting they are, no matter how broad their usual choice of lovers, has certain people who are just “not my type.” If you ask them what they don't like, they will easily come up with a laundry list – sometimes, more easily than if you asked them what they like.

Subaru was most definitely no exception.

As a porn star, of course, he was a lot more open to the idea of taking someone as a lover than a lot of people. But that didn't mean he didn't have his preferences. It wasn't always easy to get him to talk about his anti-preferences, of course. He prided himself on being a very loving and positive person, and he really would rather talk about what he liked than what he disliked.

Finally, when pressed, he'd tell you – usually in a shy and quiet voice, as if not to offend anyone around him.

“Older guys. I . . . I really don't like older guys. I'd rather be with someone my own age. I don't know what it is, it's just that the idea of being with an older guy – you know, more than four or five years older than me – that really makes me uncomfortable.”

There wasn't any specific incident behind it, he'd tell you – just a general feeling of unease. “Uruha knows about it, of course – we've talked about it. But I don't tell a lot of people. I don't want them to be, you know, insulted.”

So fangirls who were left wondering why Subaru didn't do videos with Ruki or Aoi weren't going to get an answer – because no answer was forthcoming. It was just something he kept in his heart quietly – and nothing could ever make him change his mind about it . . . right?

* * *

Subaru peeked his head into Uruha's office. The director didn't notice him at first, he was busy with his computer, most likely answering an E-mail. When he sensed his star's presence, however, Uruha quickly turned his attention from the screen.

“Oh, hi, Subaru! Come on in. Did you just get back from Osaka?”

“Yes,” he said, entering the office and sitting down. “Tomoya and I were home late yesterday afternoon.”

This was the second year he and Tomoya had gone back home for New Year's as a couple. He just wished he could have taken his other two lovers with him – but his parents were definitely not ready for the news that their son was part of a foursome.

They'd spoken to his brother about it in private, though – and by now, Kento was so used to Subaru's unusual lifestyle that he didn't even question it. He just asked for an introduction to Mahiro and Junji when he visited Tokyo.

“Good,” Uruha said. “And you're ready to get back to work?”

“You bet!” Subaru said. “You said you had a new script for me?”

“Oh, yes,” Uruha said. “I've E-mailed it to you – Jin finished it when you were away. How do you feel about Hokkaido?”

“Hokkaido?” Subaru blinked. “It's . . . snowy?”

“Exactly,” Uruha said. “That's the idea. The screenplay is about a young man who finds love when he goes to Hokkaido to go snowboarding. See, here's the story – your character works for a boss who prides himself on being 'modern' and is bringing Western-style ideas into the Japanese workplace. In other words, letting employees go home right after work hours, and even encouraging vacation time if the employee looks tired.”

“That's modern, all right,” Subaru said. He remembered all too well friends whose fathers were barely home because they went straight from working late at the office to drinking with co-workers to coming home to starting all over again the next day.

“So the boss encourages your character to take a vacation and even arranges for him to go to Hokkaido. He hasn't taken a vacation for a long time, so he barely knows what to do with himself. Right away, he gets hit on by a swinging couple who are looking for a third guy to play with – admittedly, this is just so we can have a threesome scene in the video.”

“Understandable,” Subaru said. He knew that even in romance videos, the audience liked a little variety.

“He enjoys the encounter, but he's looking for something more than empty sex – and the next day on the slopes, he spots another snowboarder who's hot-looking, but sad. He talks to him and finds out the guy got away for a few days to think – he's on the verge of ending a relationship. So they're instantly attracted to each other, and they end up doing something about it – and they keep doing something about it. They get to know each other, they decide they like one another . . .”

“And let me guess. The guy's boyfriend shows up?”

“Not only does the guy show up, but it turns out he's your character's boss. Which, of course, creates all kinds of awkwardness – especially when the boss finds out about the affair. Ultimately, he tells your character to choose his new lover or his job. And finally, your character's lover stands up for himself against this guy for the first time, and tells him their relationship is over. And, of course, the boss proceeds to fire your character. Re-enter the swinging couple. It turns out they're loaded and own several companies – and they hire both your character and his lover on the spot. So, they live happily ever after. What do you think?”

“Well, I don't snowboard . . .”

“You won't have to,” Uruha said. “We'll get a stunt performer.”

“But other than that? I like it,” Subaru said. “Who's playing my love interest?”

“I'm leaving that up to you,” Uruha said. “With one condition.”

“What's that?” Subaru said.

“If possible, I'd like to put you opposite someone who hasn't co-starred with you before. I mean, I'll cast someone like MiA or Mahiro opposite you if you insist, but I'd really like to use this video as a showcase for a new pairing – and if our fan feedback is anything to go by, they want to see you with a variety of guys, too.”

“Wow,” Subaru said. “I'll . . . I'll have to think about this for a bit. When do you need an answer?”

“Probably by the day after tomorrow,” Uruha said. “Are you going to the Ball Drop Ball?”

Subaru nodded. The Ball Drop Ball was a belated New Year's party – since a good deal of the performers were spending New Year's back in their hometowns – thrown by one of the porn bloggers. It was being held later that night.

“Maybe you'll run into someone there that you'll want to co-star with,” Uruha said. “Keep an open mind. And remember – it is YOUR choice. Pick someone you know you're going to be comfortable with.”

“I will,” Subaru said. “And Uruha? Thank you for casting me in the lead.”

“I wouldn't think of using anyone else,” Uruha said. “You had a fabulous year, and you're going to have another one.”

Subaru didn't think of it as fabulous – he just thought of it as busy. There had been the pirate video, and the genie video, and then his starring role in Codomo Dragon's debut feature. He'd been promoting the latter at the Expo, when he'd been, quite frankly, a bit scared at the amount of fangirls who had been clamoring to meet him.

He finished off the year by filming a segment for Uruha's “Real Lovers” anthology feature, featuring vignettes with real-life pairs – MiA and Koichi, Byou and Jin, Mahiro and Junji, Yo-ka and Yuuki, and, yes, Subaru and Tomoya – marking Tomoya's on-camera debut.

By the time New Year's had rolled around, Subaru had definitely been ready for the vacation.

“It's been my pleasure,” he said, standing up and bowing to Uruha. “I'll see you at the Ball Drop Ball tonight?”

“You bet,” Uruha said.

As he left the office, Subaru took a deep breath. Choosing his own co-star . . . and having it be someone he hadn't worked with before. It was a tall order, but he was up to it.

* * *

“You're allowed to pick anyone?” Junj said to Subaru as their cab headed for the Ball Drop Ball. “Really?”

“As long as I haven't worked with him before,” Subaru said. “That's what Uruha wants.”

“Well, that ought to be easy for you, right?” Tomoya said. “You always have your eye on someone.”

“Actually?” Subaru said. “There's not anyone I particularly want to work with at the moment. I mean, I always want to work with you guys, and Uruha said he'd cast someone I'm familiar with if I can't find someone, but that's not what he's looking for.”

“You haven't been on-camera with me yet, remember,” Junji said. “Not intimately.”

“I think Uruha wants to put Subaru with someone he's never been with, period,” Mahiro said. “Not onscreen, not off. He wants a first-time-together vibe.”

They pulled up in front of the hotel where the party is being held. “Not a mansion,” Tomoya said. “People are going to be disappointed that they have to pay for the rooms upstairs.”

“Damn, Tomo,” Junji said, wrapping an arm around him and hugging him. “You're an industry vet now if you can just say that casually.”

The party itself was being held in the main ballroom, which was festooned with decorations saying “HAPPY 2017” in glittery letters. A huge buffet table was at the front of the room, which also spotted a replica of the ball dropping in Times Square. Placed at random intervals around the room were sculptures of chickens, since the coming Lunar Year was going to be the Year of the Rooster – never mind that the Lunar Year didn't start for a few weeks. (Subaru was just waiting for the first person to loudly yell, “IT'S THE YEAR OF THE COCK!”)

“So . . . are we eating first, or drinking first?” Mahiro said.

“Drinking always wins!” Junji said. “How many bars do they have set up in here?”

Fortunately, there were four bars – one along each wall of the ballroom. They headed for the closest one. Typical industry gathering, Subaru thought. Everyone drinking early and often. Inhibitions are going to be shed very fast.

He glanced around the room. Look for someone who catches your interest, Uruha had said. So far, Subaru wasn't really seeing anyone that did.

I really don't know what I'm going to tell Uruha, he thought. I may have to resort to someone I know already if I can't . . .

A voice in front of him said, “Aren't you Subaru? I've been wanting to talk to you for awhile.”

Subaru swiveled his head in the direction of the voice. “Who is that?” he said. And then, his eyes fell on an adorable dark-haired man in front of him, wearing a gray jacket over a white shirt and black pants. He was stunning, indeed – especially when he flashed an ear-to-ear smile.

“It's me, Toya,” he said. “Remember, from The Diamond Mine? We met at my place the day your necklace was stolen?”

The memory came back to Subaru with clarity – the attacker trying to grab his necklace, Jui finding him on the street and bringing him back to his friends' “end of our careers” party after they'd lost their distribution deal with Heavy Hitter, Uruha coming to their rescue and picking up their distribution.

“I do remember!” he said. “I'm sorry I didn't connect with any of you guys afterward. Things got kind of nuts.”

“Things are nuts for all of us,” Toya said. “But that's why we have these parties, right? To slow down for awhile. Want to go somewhere and catch up?”

Subaru glanced back at his lovers. “Go on,” Tomoya said.

“You mean it?” Subaru said.

“Yes, I mean it,” Tomoya said. “Have I ever lied to you about anything like that, Subaru?”

“Okay!” Subaru turned back to Toya. “Let's get the drinks, and go over there . . .”

“You let him go awfully easily,” Mahiro said when the other two departed.

“So did you,” Tomoya said. “He's as much your boyfriend as mine, remember.”

“He needs to find a co-star, remember?” Mahiro said. “He's never worked with this guy. He might be the solution.”

“So we're thinking the same way,” Tomoya said. “Great minds!”

“I think it's more because we both know Subaru so well,” Mahiro said.

They got their drinks and went off to find a table. They figured they wouldn't be seeing Subaru for the rest of the evening.

* * *

Subaru and Toya settled at a corner table. “So, what have you been doing the last couple of months?” Subaru said.

“Well, the distribution deal has been good for us,” Toya said. “We made a video called Rainfall, and we promoted the hell out of it, and it's now the best-selling title The Diamond Mine has ever had. It's my personal all-time career best-seller, and it's matched some numbers Jui and Jun used to pull at Hard Candy.”

“That's terrific!” Subaru said. “See, it wasn't the end of your careers after all!”

“Do you know how grateful I am to the guy who tried to steal that necklace?” Toya said. “Hooking up with PSC was the best thing that ever happened to us. I mean, I was really worried when it looked like our deal was going to fall through. We'd just gotten to when we were happy – really happy.”

“You have a three-way partnership with Jui and Jun, don't you?” Subaru said.

“Well, we also collaborate with the other Diamond Mine guys – the ones that came from Fest Vainqueur Video – but yes, the heart of the partnership is the three of us. Professionally and personally. The personal is loose, though. We're all with each other, but at the same time? We can be with anyone else. It's the same arrangement you have with your boyfriends, right?”

“Yes,” Subaru said. “I have three. Well, it started out with just me and Tomoya, and then we met Mahiro and Junji, and we ended up as a foursome.”

“I saw the video you and Tomoya did together,” Toya said. “The couples one.”

“Really?” Subaru said. “That was his first time on camera.”

“You'd never know,” Toya said. “You two looked really natural and at-ease together.”

“We just kind of forgot the camera was there,” Subaru said.

“Isn't that the best kind of scene?” Toya said. “The kind where you lose yourself in it.”

“You've had scenes like that, too?” said Subaru.

“Plenty,” Toya said. “But it's not just the sex. Sometimes I lose myself in all of it, you know? I feel like I'm actually living whatever the video is supposed to be about – and then, the director yells 'Cut,' and I come back to reality.”

“You always wanted to be an actor?” Subaru said.

“Well, not quite really, Toya said. “I got into it the way most people do – I couldn't find work in the main part of the industry. I'm a cinematographer, primarily, though I haven't ruled out directing someday. I just found out that I really like being on the other side of the camera, too.”

“A lot of people get into the industry like that,” Subaru said. “I'm a game designer. I got into it because of someone I met in college.”

Before Subaru knew it, his whole story was spilling out – his training as a game designer, the friend in college who did porn on weekends and told Subaru about getting into the business, his hooking up with Uruha and meteor-like rise in the industry.

“I can't complain,” he said. “Though I was glad to have the break at New Year's.”

“And now your break is over?” Toya said.

“I'm going to start a new video,” Subaru said. “Except I need to find a co-star I haven't been with before. Someone who I could . . .”

And then, he realized that the person he was looking for was right in front of him. Toya was adorable. Gorgeous. Subaru felt comfortable with him. They'd never been in a video together. The setup was perfect.

Should I just come out and ask? Subaru thought. Is that too, well, forward, considering what kind of video it is?

“Someone you could . . . what?” Toya said.

Subaru looked at the other man. “Toya . . I . . . um . . . can I . . .” He was blushing redder than a tomato – one of those nobody-would -ever-know-he-was-a-porn-star moments.

“What is it?” Toya said.

And suddenly, Subaru was blurting it out. “Would you like to be my co-star in my new video?” He blushed again. He'd passed standard tomato and was headed for seriously overripe. “I mean . . . do you want to . . . are you available to . . .”

“When is the shooting?” Toya said.

“In . . . in the next couple of weeks, in Hokkaido . . .”

“I'm not busy in the next couple of weeks,” Toya said. “If you're asking me?”

“Um, well, I . . .”

“I accept,” Toya said. “I'd love to do a video with you.”

“Really?” Subaru said.

“Really,” said Toya. “That . . . is what you were asking, right?”

“Yes!” Subaru said. “Yes, definitely! Okay, we need to find Uruha and tell him.”

The evening was a success. He'd found his co-star – easily. And said co-star was one he was very much looking forward to working with – on all levels. Someone that beautiful and alluring would be hard to resist under any circumstances.

It seems, Subaru thought, I'm starting this year off right.

* * *

You know you’re successful in the adult video industry when you actually fly to your shooting destination.

Subaru had been shocked as hell when Uruha informed him that they would be taking a flight from Haneda to Asahikawa Airport in Hokkaido, which was near Furano, the ski resort town where they would be shooting.

“Don’t we normally go in trains to these things?” Subaru said.

“Well, yes,” Uruha replied. “And we will be taking a train from Asahikawa to Furano. But that’s an awful long way to go by train – especially since the Shinkansen doesn’t go that far up. And besides, we were able to get a dirt-cheap snow season deal on the air.”

So there he and Toya were at the airport, with Uruha and some of the crew. The other cast members that would be appearing in Hokkaido scenes – Yuuki and Yo-ka, who were playing the swinging couple, and Jui, who would be Subaru’s boss – would be coming up later.

“This is a first for me,” Subaru said as they pulled their carry-ons through the terminal between security and their gate.

“Me, too,” Toya said. “I’ve only shot outside Tokyo once or twice. I’m looking forward to seeing a different part of the country for once!”

“Yuuki told me he’s been there,” Subaru said as they sat down at their gate. “And there isn’t much up there besides snow. Well, that’s what we’re going for, right? The name of the video is The Burning Snow.”

“Hey, it's a change of scenery from Tokyo, anyway,” Toya said.

“Are you from Tokyo, Toya?” Subaru said. “Originally, I mean. Your voice sounds like you’re from Kanto.”

“As opposed to your cute Kansai accent?” Toya said.

Subaru blushed. “I never really thought of it as cute. It was just sort of . . . there.”

“You make it sound cuter than most guys do,” Toya replied. “In answer to your question? I’m from Yokohama. I came to Tokyo when I was 19 with a bunch of other guys who wanted to get into filmmaking. They gave up and went home and most of them went into their family businesses. I didn’t want to give up, though. So . . . I ended up in the porn industry. Started out working behind the camera, then went in front of the camera. I probably would have gone back behind the camera for good, but, well . . .”

“You met Jui and Jun?” Subaru said.

“Jun first,” Toya said. “I was crazy-mad-in love with him. We did one video together and I wanted to co-star with him over and over for the rest of my life. Then I found out that he and Jui were together, and it broke my heart – I thought I’d never be more than second-best to him. Except he introduced me to Jui, and, well, the rest is history. We’ve been together ever since.”

“That's really nice,” Subaru said. “When something like that works out? It's . . .” He thought of his own relationship with Tomoya, Mahiro and Junji. “Wonderful. It takes work and patience and understanding, but it's worth it.”

“It's definitely worth it,” Toya said. “They don't mind me having other boyfriends, and they're supportive of my wanting to work behind the camera someday. They just asked that I cast them if I ever do become a director.”

“I need to introduce you to my friend Hayato,” Subaru said. “He’s part of the Codomo Dragon collective – they write, direct, film and act in videos. I was in their debut with PSC . . .”

“Sodom,” Toya said. “I saw that.”

“It just came out, though,” Subaru said.

“We got a pre-release copy,” Toya said. “Jui and Jun teased me about how many times I watched it. Your friends do incredible work – and you were amazing in it. Really, really good acting, and really hot.”

Subaru blushed again. Even after more than a year in the industry, it still made him a bit uncomfortable to hear people praising how he looked having sex on camera. “If you were directing a video,” he said, “would you cast me?”

“In a heartbeat,” Toya replied. “You’re everything an adult performer should be. Gorgeous, charismatic, sexy and talented.”

Subaru found himself feeling warm as Toya spoke. “What would you cast me as, then?” he said.

At that moment, the gate announcer spoke over the microphone: “Good morning, ladies and gentlemen, Do Airlines welcomes you aboard flight 54 with nonstop service to Asahikawa . . .”

“I’ll tell you later,” Toya said.

As Subaru stood to line up at the gate, he realized he was wobbly-kneed and breathless. Getting crushes on co-stars was something that happened to him all the time, of course – to the point where friends and lovers teased him about it. Junji had even joked once that Subaru was followed around by a constant cloud of tiny cupids the way cattle were followed by constant clouds of flies. (“It’s because you were born on Valentine’s Day, you know,” Junji added.)

But this . . . this felt teenage-boy intense. Subaru knew this didn’t feel like a typical co-star crush. And he found himself wondering just what Toya was thinking about him.

* * *

They flew coach, so they sat three across with one of the crew members next to them. The flight was quiet – Toya dozed through most of it, Subaru worked on memorizing his lines. They reached the airport, collected their bags and then took a cab to the train station.

We’re ticking off every mode of transportation one by one, Subaru thought. There's got to be a boat involved somewhere.

Finally, they arrived at an inn at the foot of a mountain. “Welcome to the Kitanomine Zone of the Furano Ski Resort,” Uruha said. “This is our home away from home for the shoot.”

“We’re shooting everything here?” Toya said. “EVERYTHING?”

“Well, everything but the flashback scenes in Tokyo,” Uruha said. “And, yes, we’re going to be shooting THOSE scenes in the inn. The manager of this particular place is a young hipster – he doesn’t object. He said he’s not going to let the guys above him know what we're doing, though. Oh, and Toya? You and Subaru are rooming together. We did this with Subaru and Yo-ka when we were filming Heart of the Ocean. It’s a good way to build chemistry between the leads of a romance.”

Toya gave Subaru a big smile. “I don’t mind if he doesn’t,” he said.

“I don’t mind,” Subaru said. “Not at all.” Quite the opposite, in fact – his heart was beating like the taiko drums at a matsuri.

“And another thing,” Uruha said. “We’re going to be giving you two cameras to film each other around the resort. In addition to the ski and snowboard area, there’s a snow dome with an ice bar – they literally serve drinks in glasses made with ice. And there’s a course where you can go snow tubing, which is a little safer than snowboarding. We figured it would make a nice DVD extra.”

“You think of everything, don’t you?” Toya said.

“We try,” Uruha said. “All right, go upstairs and settle in, then we’ll meet in the lounge in an hour to go over the shooting schedule.”

Toya gave Subaru’s hand a squeeze as they stood up to collect their bags. “No wonder you’re so successful working with these guys,” he said. “They really do think about every detail.”

Subaru squeezed that hand back. Oh, God, he thought, what’s going to happen when we’re alone in that room, and we don’t have somewhere we have to be in an hour? His mind was already going wild with possibilities.

But is Toya thinking the same thing? he thought.

* * *

The rest of the day passed in a breathless rush. They got their things put away in their room, headed down for the meeting, then had dinner in the inn’s restaurant – where Subaru discovered that Hokkaido’s reputation for delicious crab was well-deserved. 

Afterward, they toured the resort via a bus that ran around the property – Subaru was actually surprised by how big the place was. It was divided into two sections – the Funaro Zone and Kitanomine Zone – each with its own hotels, lifts and accommodations. The Furano Zone actually included a rather swanky ski-in, ski-out facility, where people could literally go straight from the slopes to their hotel.

“All right,” Uruha said when they got back to their inn. “Remember, tomorrow’s weather is supposed to be nice, so we'll shoot outdoor scenes in the morning – we’ll meet by the lifts at 9.”

Which meant getting up even earlier, as breakfast and makeup would have to be attended to before they went up the mountain. “We’ll see you then!” Subaru said, waving to Uruha as he and Toya headed for the elevator.

“What a day, huh?” Toya said when they were on their way up. “I haven’t done that much in 24 hours in eons!”

“Me, either,” Subaru said “Well, at least since we did the pirate video. That shoot was crazy, too, because we did some of it on a boat and some of it in Okinawa.”

“You do get around don’t you?” Toya said as the elevator arrived and they headed for their room.

“It’s part of the job,” Subaru said, getting out their room key. “I'm used to it by now.

“I didn’t get a chance to answer that question from earlier, did I?” Toya said as they entered.

“What question?” Subaru said, pulling off his coat and hanging it on the back of a chair.

“The one about what I’d cast you as if I directed you in a video,” Toya said, pulling off his own coat and walking over to Subaru. “Can you guess?”

“N-no,” Subaru said. “I’ve played a lot of roles . . .”

Toya leaned over toward him and said, flirtatiously, “I’d cast you as . . . my co-star.”

Subaru just stood there, breathlessly, feeling his heart pound . . . and then, he leaned over toward Toya, their lips coming closer together . . .

When the kiss happened, it was explosive. They were suddenly wrapping their arms around each other, opening their lips, pushing tongues together, rubbing and brushing.

They’d wanted this from the moment they saw each other at the airport that morning. Maybe since the moment they first saw each other at the party.

They broke apart just long enough to pull off shirts and throw them on the floor, then kissed fiercely again while fumbling with belts. Pants and underwear his the floor, and they clumsily stepped out of piles of unwanted fabric, stumbling toward the bed together.

When they reached it, Subaru fell on his back on the mattress with a thud, Toya landing next to him, kneeling above him, kissing and licking his way down the other man’s neck.

“Do you know what I’ve wondered since I saw Sodom?” Toya said, breathlessly.

“No.” Subaru just lay there, a quivering heap, staring up at the other man, his new co-star, his new lover, thinking that he was so gorgeous the human mind could barely comprehend it.

“I’ve wondered . . .” Toya leaned over, his head near Subaru’s chest. “ . . . what your nipples taste like.”

“Oh, my God . . .” Subaru gasped . . . and then cried out as Toya began licking his nipple slowly, rubbing his tongue back and forth over it, then kissing, pulling his head back, then licking again. He brushed his cheek over it, leaned back, and paused for a moment.

Then he lowered his head and started sucking hard, and Subaru cried out. “Toya . . . oh, my GOD, Toya . . .”

The other man pulled back again, looked up and Subaru, and said, “Delicious. Just as delicious as I'd hoped.” He brought his mouth to the other one, slowly dragging his tongue over the hard bud, as Subaru gasped, grabbing the back of his head.

When Toya started to move down on him, kissing over his stomach, nipping at the skin, Subaru found himself panting in anticipation. He wanted this man, oh, God, did he want him, he felt like he was going to burn up as he lifted his head, watching Toya leave a wet trail down over his lower stomach.

Toya paused just before he reached his ultimate destination, reaching up to lightly run his fingers over the shaft, the slightest of brushes that made Subaru quiver. He paused, caressing the head slowly . . .

Then, he touched his tongue to Subaru's balls, and started to lick upward, the hot, wet flesh moving slowly toward his shaft, flicking around the base a little, then working his way upward, sliding bit by bit, just driving his lover flat-out wild . . .

He came to the head, which he caressed with the soft underside of his tongue, slowly moving back and forth, as Subaru moaned, grabbing the back of Toya's head again, pulling his hair lightly. Toya responded by opening his lips, wrapping them around the tip, and . . .

Subaru felt himself slide into the other man's mouth, so hot and wet and soft, and right away Toya began to suck – slow and hard and enough to drive a guy out of his mind. He began to move downward, then pull back, seeming to devour his lover in the best possible way.

The sensations were running through Subaru's body like a rampaging inferno. His hips moved, trying hard not to thrust hard into Toya's mouth, but he couldn't get enough of it, he needed more, that mouth seemed to be sucking every bit of him in . . .

And then Toya just had to use his hands, too, his fingers rubbing up and down along the base of Subaru's erection, driving him closer and closer to the edge. . . when the fingers slipped even lower, pressing against the flesh between Subaru's balls and his entrance, it caused a wave of heat like a shower of sparks. Subaru arched forward, crying out.

“Toya! Toya, I'm going to come, I'm . . .” And then Subaru let out a yell as an intense climax seized him, making his entire body shudder over and over as he writhed and lifted his hips off the bed and cried out again.

Toya moved upward, kissing Subaru's lips, and Subaru delved his tongue into his mouth eagerly, trying to taste himself.

God, he had to give back to him for that. He had to make sure Toya felt as good as he did right now.  
He rolled Toya over on his back, kissing down his chest right away, tonguing the nipple as Toya had done to him, reaching down to find his new lover's hardness.

It felt good in his hand as he started to stroke, so incredibly good, he had such a beautiful cock, it was going to feel amazing inside him . . . His mouth continued to explore the nipple, licking and kissing and sucking, as his hand moved faster, finger wrapping around the shaft, stroking it bottom to top.

He felt Toya start to writhe beneath him, heard his moans, and it made his heart pound, knowing he could bring this wonderful, gorgeous creature such pleasure. And he wanted to bring him more . . .

Subaru moved downward, so he could take the head of Toya's erection in his lips, tonguing it as he started to suck gently, moving down on him little by little . . . and he moved down more, and more, and more . . .

His mouth was completely filled with Toya now, he felt like he was breathing in his very essence, taking him into the deepest core of himself. He sucked, moving his head back and forth faster, feeling the wonderful cock slide through his lips, hearing Toya's moans get deeper and louder and more intense . . .

He felt a hand grip the back of his head, and Toya's movements below him get jerkier and more erratic. Subaru knew he had him on the verge of climax, and he sucked harder, moving faster . . .

Toya let out a loud cry, and Subaru, ever the porn star, pulled back automatically, wanting to catch the pop shot in the face – but this wasn't about looking good on camera. He wanted to feel the hot wetness splattering on his flesh, to lick at it, feeling and smelling and tasting the essence of their passion.

He fell down on top of Toya and they kissed, fiercely. “That was incredible,” Subaru murmured. “You're so good, Toya . . .”

“Not as good as you,” Toya said, holding Subaru tightly. “This is going to be an amazing shoot, Subaru – for both of us.” He kissed the other man's nose, gently. “I'm now really glad I came up here.”

“So am I,” Subaru murmured, snuggling against him. “I really, really am.”

He closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep, feeling happy and sated and so, so glad that their time together was just beginning.

* * *

The next day was a brisk-paced shoot on the mountain, during which Subaru filmed dialogue with Toya and images of him gazing out at the snowscapes and reacting to other snowboarders. Uruha also got shots of him pushing off on a snowboard that would be intercut with shots of his stunt double actually performing tricks.

“Who is my double, anyway?” Subaru said.

Uruha pointed to a young woman of a rather boyish build, who was currently strapping her feet to her board. “She is.”

“Really?” Subaru tried to conceal his surprise that his double was female.

“The jackets and such will conceal her gender,” Uruha said. “And we're shooting her at a distance and from the rear, so people won't be able to see it's not you. Her boyfriend is our snowboarding double for Toya.”

“How did you find them, anyway?” Subaru said.

“The film council recommended them when we talked to them about shooting here. They told us those two have been in plenty of movies and commercials.”

“Um, Uruha . . . do they know what kind of . . .”

“They weren't as young and hip as the inn owner,” Uruha said. “We told them we were shooting a romantic drama in Japanese for the Japanese-speaking market in America. They didn't question it.”

Subaru quietly hoped that all these people who Uruha had been not-quite-honest to about their various shooting locations didn't watch gay porn, or they'd get a surprise when they saw their location featured.

He did get a chance to see his double perform for the camera, though – and she was outstanding. She performed sharp turns and caught big air – complete with mid-air spins – like it was nothing. Are my fans going to think I can really do that? Subaru thought.

When they were done for the day, Uruha put one hand on Subaru's shoulder, the other on Toya's. “Great job today,” he said. “Tomorrow, it's supposed to be colder, so we'll be doing interiors.”

“By interiors,” Subaru said, “do you mean . . .”

“Yes, I do,” Uruha said. “I'm thinking two scenes. And in addition to that, we'll be shooting dialogue in the bar – during the daytime, when most of the people are out on the slopes.”

“I think I like the sound of the bedroom scenes better,” Toya said.

“Most people do,” Uruha replied. “Okay, you two – you've got another big day tomorrow, so don't tire yourselves out too much.”

“We'll try not to,” Toya said.

When they got back to the resort, Subaru said, “I actually had a lot of fun today. It was cold, but still fun.”

“Same here,” Toya said. “I'm really enjoying working with you, you know that? You're a really good actor.”

“I try,” Subaru said. They headed for the elevator. “Um, about tomorrow . . .”

“If last night is any indication, we're going to have one hell of a scene,” Toya said.

“I think we should . . . well, I've always saved my first all-the-way time with a new co-star until we were in front of the cameras. Well, we can do other things, but not . . . penetration.”

“That's all right with me,” Toya said, as they headed for their room. “Just as long as I can still touch you.”

“Yes,” Subaru said. “I want you to touch me . . . and I want to touch you.”

Toya put an arm around Subaru and hugged him when the door was shut behind him. “It's funny,” he said, “I feel like we were meant to be co-stars. Like this was going to happen sooner or later.”

“Maybe we were,” Subaru said. “There's film teams in other genres. Why can't there be teams in this?”

Later on, after dinner, they ended up naked on the bed together again, this time stroking each other to ecstasy, speeding up and slowing down so that they didn't finish each other off too quickly, snuggling and basking in the afterglow when they were finished.

Tomorrow, Subaru thought, is going to be just amazing.

* * *

The room that they were using for the bedroom set was one that was rented just for the purpose, since it was always filled with cameras and lights. Subaru and Toya were already in makeup by the time they got there, since they had already been filming in the hallway – the dialogue leading up to the sex scene, when their characters exchanged awkward goodnights – because they both knew they really wanted to be in that room together.

Uruha watched the two co-stars as they stood in the corner, talking quietly together. He could already see a growing chemistry between them. There were sparks flying in the non-sexual scenes they'd done together already – what would happen once they hit that bed together?

He approached the two. “We're just about ready,” he said. “Now, remember, this scene picks up right from the one in the hall – you realize you're attracted to each other, you're going to do something about it.”

“I wonder what that could be?” Toya said. “Hmm.” He adopted a mock-thoughtful pose, and Subaru started laughing.

“I just want to go over a few basics,” Uruha said. “I don't like to tell my actors what to do in scenes like this, but we're going to go over camera angles and such.”

By the time they were ready to actually shoot, anticipation in the room was high – both for the men themselves and for their director. Subaru waited for Uruha's cue, thinking, it's going to happen, we're going to have actual, all-the-way sex together in front of the camera . . .

He gazed over at Toya. He had enjoyed every moment with this man so far – the conversations, the fooling around, even sleeping in the same bed as him. What would this scene be like . . .

As soon as Uruha called “Action!” it became obvious that Toya was just as eager to do this as he was – he grabbed Subaru in his arms, and right away, they were kissing hotly, tongues pressing against each other right away, hands tugging at clothing, undressing each other rapidly, Subaru nearly tearing Toya's shirt in his eagerness to get it off him.

They tumbled to the bed, making sure they were in full camera range, mouths still exploring each other, hands running over one another's bodies . . .

Toya lifted his head, making sure the camera could get a good view as he bent to Subaru's nipple, licking over it slowly, like he did when they were alone . . . and drawing a long, low moan. The camera moved in for a closeup, recording the sight of the tongue dancing along the hardened bud, tracing patterns over it.

When Toya's fingers slid down over Subaru's body, finding his cock and wrapping around it, the unflinching lens shifted its attention, moving down to capture a closeup of Toya beginning to stroke the organ, caressing it slowly, moving around and around as he slid from the base to the very tip, which he teased gently, rubbing back and forth over it.

Subaru moaned loudly, thrusting into Toya's hand, and the moans got louder as the fingers of the other hand slipped downward, teasing his opening. “Oh!” Subaru cried. “Oh, yes, please, please . . .”

He knew what was expected of him at this point – a full display of his ass. When Toya's hands pulled away, Subaru sat up, knowing he was supposed to get up on all fours . . .

Except he leaned forward, bringing his mouth to Toya's chest, his tongue sliding right to a nipple, licking it over and over. He couldn't help himself. Even with the cameras rolling, he had to touch, taste this man as much as possible. He drew the bud in his mouth, sucking it . . .

Uruha didn't yell “Cut,” so he kept going. Of course, he would have even if the director had stopped it. He raised his head, licking again, then sucking, hearing Toya's moans, feeling his lover's body writhe. When Subaru finally sat up, their lips came together in another fierce, hot kiss, tongues rubbing against one another.

Finally, Subaru pulled away and got on all fours, leaning over so his ass was in the air and properly pointed toward the camera. Toya grabbed the lube, and soon Subaru felt a finger gently probing him, pushing in bit by bit.

“Yes,” he gasped. “That's so good . . .” It was. The feel of the finger slipping in and out of him, gently opening him, was just building anticipation for what was coming next. He wanted that cock in him so, so much . . .

The second finger pushing into him, then the third, just served to increase the heat in his body. Subaru pumped his hips, thrusting backward, trying to open himself up faster. He wasn't even thinking about cameras anymore.

Finally, the fingers slid out of him, and Toya reached for a tissue. There was a pause as the cameras shifted, so they could get a shot of Toya behind him, fucking him. He felt hands on his hips, gently parting him.

“Are you ready?” Toya said.

“Yes,” Subaru gasped. “Please, I need it, please . . .”

And then, it was happening. That cock was sliding into him, bit by bit, and Subaru just bit his lip when the inevitable pain came. The pleasure was just behind it, he knew . . . Toya started to move within him, slowly, and Subaru let out a loud moan. Sensation was blooming within him bit by delicious bit, seeming to envelop his entire body, and it just got more intense as the other man started to move faster, harder . . .

Before long, Subaru was thrusting back against him, trying to get that cock in him hard and deep, feeling Toya fill him and fill him more. They picked up speed, little by little, Subaru hearing Toya moaning behind him, feeling hands moving over his body, stroking him.

“More,” he gasped. “Please, more . . .”

Toya was shifting this way and that, his cock stroking different places within Subaru with seemingly every thrust, and Subaru moaned louder and louder, thinking the pleasure couldn't possibly get more intense, but it did, until he thought he was going to burst into flames. He had sweat pouring down his flesh, his hair was clinging to his face and forehead . . . and to the camera, he was indescribably beautiful.

Then, Toya's fingers wrapped around him, stroking him, just as a deep thrust hit an extra-sweet spot inside him. It touched off an explosion of pleasure so intense Subaru thought he was going to fly apart. He let out a near-scream, the come pouring from his body, the camera catching it running over Toya's hands.

He sagged to the bed, feeling Toya's last few hard thrusts, then hearing his orgasmic cry, feeling the hot wetness pour all over his ass. He just hoped Toya had come as hard as he had . . . he deserved it.

Toya fell down next to Subaru, and they kissed, tenderly, the camera panning away from them . . . as Uruha shouted, “CUT! Wow! Just WOW! You two were AMAZING! So incredibly intense together . . .”

“Mmmm,” Subaru said. He just snuggled against Toya, holding onto him. He was half-listening to his director – if that. He was just basking in an incredible afterglow.

I want more scenes like that, he thought. More, and more, until both of us are utterly exhausted and unable to move.

This was already one of the most incredible shooting experiences of his life.

* * *

Another scene, same room. A nap and a shower later, Toya was in an easy chair, leaning back, legs spread, hands clutching the arms.

Subaru was kneeling in front of him, mouth wrapped around Toya's cock, sliding down on it. It was so good, just like when he'd sucked him in their room . . . Toya felt and tasted amazing, he filled Subaru's mouth so completely . . .

The blond began to move faster. He wanted him deeper, and deeper still. He was savoring the sensation of hardness sliding through the soft wetness of his mouth, the way it utterly filled him . . . he'd heard the term “mouth-fucking” in the industry before, but this was a case where the words were literally true.

He shifted his position, moving his body upward a little, wanting to get as much of Toya in his mouth as he could. He moved down hard, and fast, feeling Toya slide through his lips, and slide, and slide . . .

It wasn't until he felt it bump his throat that he realized how deep he'd taken it – and adrenaline shot through him. He'd never deep-throated anyone before. Toya arched up, gasping, grabbing Subaru's hair . . .

And suddenly, it was easy to move down on him again and again, letting Toya fuck him in the throat, taking him in so deep he seemed to fill his whole body . . . and it was easy, wasn't it, much easier than he'd thought, because it was Toya, and everything was so intense with him . . .

Toya's moans got louder, his breathing got heavier, and his hand clutched Subaru's hair tighter. “Coming,” he gasped. “I'm . . “

Subaru didn't pull away fast enough to catch the whole thing in his face – but he did get some of it, and he licked at the droplets before leaning over to kiss Toya, smearing it over both their faces. When Uruha yelled “CUT,” everyone flat-out applauded.

“Outstanding,” Uruha said. “Subaru, you've never . . .”

“I know,” Subaru said, softly, still snuggled against Toya.

Toya looked down at him. “You've never deep-throated before?”

“No,” Subaru said. “Not onscreen, not off.”

“Wow,” Toya said, hugging him closer. “I feel honored. That makes this scene something special.”

You're what's special, Subaru thought. He leaned his head on Toya's shoulder, still holding onto him. Oh, yes, Toya was special – on a whole lot of levels.

* * *

The next few days were among the most blissful Subaru had ever known on a video shoot.

When the weather was on the mild side, they filmed outside – not just scenes from the video, but the DVD extra footage with Subaru and Toya shooting each other exploring the resort.

The ice dome, especially, made for some interesting footage. Subaru stood outside, talking directly into the camera Toya was holding. “This structure is completely built of snow and ice,” he said. “Inside? More snow and ice. There's an ice bar in there.”

“Literally, an ice bar?” Toya said from behind the camera.

“You got it!” Subaru said. “They serve drinks in glasses that are literally made of ice. So I guess you'd better like your drinks on the rocks, because they come that way automatically!”

“What are you going to drink?” Toya said.

“Not a flaming drink, obviously!” Subaru said. “That would defeat the whole purpose,wouldn't it? Your glass would melt!”

Toya followed Subaru into the dome. “Now, this is impressive,” Subaru said, gesturing to the bar itself. “Look, the bar is ice, the shelves behind the bartender are ice, the tables you rest your drink on . . . someone spent a lot of time carving all this!”

“That would suck in the spring, wouldn't it?” Toya said, as he zoomed in for a closer look at the bar. “All that work, and it would just melt away . . .”

“I guess you take a lot of pictures of it when you can.” Subaru went up to the bartender. “Can I have a beer and a shot of whiskey?” He looked at the various kinds of beers available. “Um, a Sapporo?”

“Sapporo beer, because we're in Hokkaido!” Toya said.

“Toya, do you want anything?” Subaru said.

“I can't drink and film at the same time!”

Subaru got his drinks and brought them over to the ice table. “Wait a second, I'm getting a picture of this to send back home, they're not going to believe this.” He pulled out his phone and took a shot. “Okay, bottoms up . . .”

He picked up the whiskey – the ice glass was in a sort of metal framework that held it together. “Whoa, cold! Really cold! It makes my fillings ache!”

“Did you expect anything different?” Toya laughed. “You're drinking it out of ice.”

“Wow, it's really cold,” Subaru repeated. “Good, though!” He sipped at the beer, which was served out of a regular bottle. “Okay, that's more normal.”

“So how do you like drinking booze out of ice?” Toya said.

“It's an experience,” Subaru said. “Not sure if I'm going to repeat it, but it's an experience! I'm going to be ready for a hot spring after this!”

They switched the camera off and traded places so that Subaru could film Toya trying the drinks as well, and remarking that it was the coldest booze he'd ever had in his life. “Where are these ice glasses in the summer when you need them?”

On other days, when it was colder, they shot indoor footage – the two characters talking over meals or drinks or in the lobby, dancing together an an apres-ski party, and, of course, plenty of bedroom action – including one scene in the shower during which the camera crew ended up getting splattered with the water.

After shooting was finished, Subaru and Toya would enjoy time together, including dinner every night – usually at the restaurant on-site at the hotel, although a couple of times they took a bus into downtown Furano and explored around for new places.

One night, they found an izakaya where they got a pitcher of beer and platters of bar foods and just settled in for a relaxing evening. “I never thought I'd have so much fun in a place covered in snow,” Subaru said.

“Not a big fan of it?” Toya said.

“I prefer summer weather,” Subaru replied. “There isn't much you can do outdoors in the winter.”

“The JAVAs are in winter,” Toya said. “Well, early March, but that's still technically winter.”

“Have you ever won anything at the JAVAS?” Subaru said.

“No. That doesn't stop me from going there and having a good time, though. Jun and Jui have won – they got a best two-person sex scene award when they were still with Hard Candy.”

“You're technically with our company this year, now, aren't you?” Subaru said. “That means you can sit with us.”

“Maybe we can request sitting at the same table,” Toya said. “We could have a table for seven – your boys and mine.”

“I'd like that,” Subaru said. I just want to sit with you, he thought.

When they got back to their room at night, even if they'd been together in front of the cameras that day, they would have sex before bed – even if it was just rubbing against each other until they both climaxed. Subaru loved that, actually – it was something they didn't do in front of the cameras, and he was really, really starting to love the feel of Toya's body against his.

The end of any shoot was hard – but this one was going to be really rough. He knew he was going to have a very hard time leaving Toya behind.

* * *

Yuuki and Yo-ka arrived during the last few days of shooting.

Granted, they weren't making the trip all the way up to Hokkaido for just an appearance in a single video. No, as soon as they finished their part in The Burning Snow, they'd be shooting outdoor scenes for a co-starring vehicle of their own. (“There had better not be any outdoor sex scenes,” Yuuki said. “I'm extremely open-minded, but even I draw the line at doing it in the snow!”)

They walked into the lounge of the hotel – the same one where the rest of the cast and crew were staying – only to be tackleglomped by Subaru. “I'm so glad you're here!” he said. “I've been enjoying myself so much. So, so much. I don't want this shoot to end!”

Yuuki and Yo-ka exchanged puzzled glances. “Subaru,” Yo-ka said, “you've never been a fan of snow.”

“Quite the opposite, in fact,” Yuuki said.

“Oh, it's not the snow,” Subaru said. “Okay, we've been having fun with the outdoor stuff, like the tubing trail and the ice bar – you HAVE to try the ice bar! – but most of it has been the shoot itself. I have the BEST co-star!”

Uh-oh, Yuuki thought. That set off his Helicopter Parent senses. He knew damn well about Subaru's tendency to develop crushes on guys he slept with on-camera. “Just what have you been doing with him?”

“We've been hanging out a lot, and talking, and filming each other around the resort. Well, when we're not doing REAL filming, that is. He is the sweetest guy! And he's adorable! And . . . and . . .”

“And the sex is amazing?” Yuuki said.

“Well, yes,” Subaru said. “He makes me feel . . .” He rubbed the back of his neck. “Like we were made to fit together, you know? That's one reason I don't want it to end.”

“This guy . . . he has at least one boyfriend at home, doesn't he?” Yuuki said.

“Two,” Subaru said. “But I have three! We're both in the same boat. I need to talk to the other three about him when we go home – I want to co-star with him again. Uruha likes us together, too.”

“I want to talk to him,” Yuuki said, quickly.

“Yuuki . . .” Yo-ka said. “Don't . . .”

“There's no harm in my talking to him, is there?” Yuuki said. “If he's going to be co-starring with you, well . . . I just want to make sure that . . .”

“He's fine, Yuuki,” Subaru said. “There isn't a single insincere bone in his body. Trust me. Although I do want him to meet you. You're like family to me, and . . .”

“Subaru,” Yuuki said, gently, “you've known this guy for what, a week and a half? And you're already talking about introducing him to family?”

“Yuuki,” Subaru said, “I know this isn't a full-blown romance. I know this is just a fling-while-filming. But I want to see where it goes from here, okay? We could end up being close friends afterward – in fact, I hope we do. And if he's going to be a friend, I want him to meet my other friends, right?”

Subaru's phone went off with a text message. He pulled it out and looked at it. “I've got a scene to shoot outdoors in a few minutes – I guess we're going to start doing the stuff with you later today.” He waved at them. “I'll see you later, okay?”

As soon as he was gone, Yo-ka said. “He's grown up a lot.”

“He's still falling in love with guys at the drop of a hat,” Yuuki said.

“So?” Yo-ka said. “Yuuki, none of those relationships have hurt him. In fact, most of his close friendships have come out of those. Remember, I was one of those guys he was crushing on.”

“I'm just afraid that one of these days his luck is going to run out, you know?” Yuuki said. “He's going to end up giving his heart to the wrong guy, and he's going to get hurt. Or he'll get in too deep with someone, and it'll wreck what he has with the three guys at home.”

“You do worry a lot,” Yo-ka said. “Just trust him, okay?”

Yuuki sighed. “I try. But sometimes . . .”

He really did want to meet this guy Subaru was currently adoring. He just wanted to make sure he was everything Subaru said he was, that this wasn't the time Subaru's luck ran out. And if it was? Then heaven help him, because Yuuki would be relentless.

* * *

To Yuuki's extreme relief, though, when he met Toya, he liked the man right away.

Fortunately, they were introduced apart from Subaru – when the latter was filming scenes balancing on a stationary snowboard, which would be intercut with footage of the stunt performer to make it look like Subaru was snowboarding. Yuuki and Yo-ka were hanging out in a snack bar not far from the shooting site, watching Subaru through the windows.

Toya approached them. “Hi,” he said. “You're Subaru's friends, aren't you? He's told me a lot about you.”

“You're Toya?” Yuuki said. “He's told me a lot about you, too.”

“He's a terrific person,” Toya said, sitting down next to the couple. “We hit it off so quickly . . . I mean, we'd met before, but we hadn't had a chance to really talk. Once we did, I felt like we'd known each other for years. He is just so cute – on every level.”

“We think so, too,” Yo-ka said. “We've worked with him quite a bit.”

“We've known him as long as he's been in the industry,” Yuuki said. “He's not like most people who get into this business.”

“Oh, I know,” Toya said. “I've seen plenty – and heard about more. When we first started The Diamond Mine, we ended up working with a lot of people who were, shall we say . . . refugees from the dark side? Like Daisuke D . . .”

“God, you worked with him?” Yuuki said. “He actually frightened me – and not that many people in this business do that.”

“I can't say he frightened me,” Toya said, “but he was . . . unpredictable, shall we say? You didn't know if he'd do exactly what the director said, or go completely off the wall. Sort of like Roji . . .”

They ended up chatting about people they'd both known on the indie side of the business, and Yuuki found himself wondering just how long this guy had been in the industry – he must have started young, he thought, when he was barely of-age. Well, hell, so did I.

But he seemed sweet, and sincere, and his intentions toward Subaru seemed realistic – he was well aware this was a co-star thing, an affair-while-shooting.

“I do want to work with him again, though,” Toya said. “He's just plain fun. Jui and Jun are sick of hearing about him, I text them about 10 times a day and tell them everything he's been doing. Well, Jui will be up here tomorrow, he's shooting some scenes with both Subaru and me.”

“Oh, yeah, I forgot he's playing Subaru's boss,” Yuuki said. “The villain in the film. And he fires Subaru and I hire him.”

“He's really talented,” Toya said. “He'll play off Subaru really well.” He looked up. “Oh, it seems Subaru's done.”

“Hi,” Subaru said, entering the building. He went straight over to Toya and hugged him. “How are you getting along?”

“You're cold!” Toya said.

“I was outside!” Subaru said. “It's always cold here!” He sat down next to his co-star. “We could always go to the hot springs and get warmed up.”

“Oh, yeah, there's a hot spring here, too,” Toya said to Yuuki and Yo-ka. “We've been in it.”

“We shot a scene in it,” Subaru said. “Not one of THOSE scenes, though.”

“I don't think they'd allow that,” Toya said. He bopped the end of Subaru's nose. “You look cute with your face flushed from the cold, you know that?”

“I'd rather be flushed from being warm!” Subaru said.

Yuuki decided that maybe this was good for Subaru after all – the two of them did seem light and playful together, there was nothing that seemed overly intense. Fine, he was going to give the relationship his blessing. It truly looked like nothing was going to go wrong.

* * *

That night, after making love, Subaru and Toya snuggled in bed together, holding onto one another.  
“I can't believe it's almost over,” Subaru said.

“It's not,” Toya said. “Not until we get on that plane and go back to Tokyo. And think of it this way – this doesn't have to be the end, even then. We can work together on other videos. And we can even make time to see each other between videos.”

“I'd like to,” Subaru said. “I want to make sure you meet all my other friends. Maybe Tomoya can come up with a video for us to co-star in, he's a writer for PSC. Well, so is Yo-ka, too.” He raised his head. “Hey, maybe you can be in Swashbucklers 2. Do you think you'd make a good pirate?”

“I've never thought of it,” Toya said. “But I'll bet I could!” He screwed up his face into his idea of what a one-eyed pirate would look like. “Arr, me hearties, there's a case of rum blowin' off the starboard bow . . .”

Subaru laughed. “You don't have to try quite that hard!” he said. He hugged the other man closer. “I'm glad I met you, Toya.”

“I'm glad I met you, too,” Toya said. “And I'm going to miss sleeping with you every night.”

“So am I,” Subaru said, cuddling next to him closer. “A lot.”

He closed his eyes, sighing. He was going to hold onto every moment of this shoot while he still could.

* * *

Jui arrived the next day, and headed straight for the lounge where he'd been told Subaru and Toya were hanging out between scenes. He was looking forward to seeing his lover again like nobody's business. It wasn't very often that he, Jun and Toya were separated – they usually appeared in most videos they'd done to this point together, even if one of them would have only a small part.

Except when he walked into the lounge, the first thing he saw was Subaru and Toya, heads close together, whispering and laughing. Neither seemed to notice him.

“Toya?” Jui said. “Toya?”

Toya suddenly jumped – as if he'd been jolted back to reality all of a sudden – and wheeled around. “Jui!” he said, leaping up from his seat and running over to him. “Oh, my God!”

“Not God, just me,” Jui said, hugging Toya tightly. “You weren't kidding when you said there was a lot of snow up here.”

“Didn't you see the pictures?” Toya said. “I sent them to you every day!”

“Well, how did I know you didn't zoom in on a little snow-pile for the sake of drama?” Jui said. He peeked around Toya. “Hi, Subaru! I haven't seen you in too long. Although Toya's been telling me about you. A LOT about you.”

“Hi!” Subaru said. Why did he feel a little pang in his heart seeing Toya hugging Jui like that? He knew damn well that Toya, Jui and Jun were a threesome – just like he, himself had three lovers waiting back home.

Still, seeing them like that was reality interfering in a beautiful dream.

Uruha entered the lounge. “Oh, good, you're here in time!” he said to Jui. “We're going to film you confronting Subaru in the hall outside the restaurant in an hour.”

“That fast?” Jui said. “You don't waste time, do you?”

“Efficiency is everything,” Uruha said. “So guys, get ready and meet me at the shooting location – because we're not going to have it for long. We need to get this in between lunch and dinner.”

Subaru leaned over and squeezed Toya's hand. “I'll see you later, then,” he said.

“I'll see both of you later,” Toya replied.

And so, Subaru went to get ready for the actual scene – which was filmed without a hitch. Jui was very clearly a professional – the kind of actor where you wondered what the hell he was doing in this porn business, he could star in mainstream films. When it was over, he gave Subaru a high-five.

“No wonder they gave you a Best Actor JAVA,” Jui said.

“Oh, that,” Subaru said, blushing a little. “I . . . I was just kind of lucky on that one.”

“Lucky nothing, you've got talent,” Jui said. They walked past the crew, who were breaking down to move on to the next scene – which was going to be a private moment between Jui and Toya. “And you've got chemistry with Toya, too.”

“I like working with him,” Subaru said. Well, that was an understatement.

“I saw the rushes,” Jui said. “Uruha uploaded some of them so I could watch them. You two . . . it's like you're two magnets. You pull each other in. You really bring out the best of him – in all areas.”

Subaru knew precisely what Jui meant – both sexual and non-sexual scenes. “He's really sweet,” Subaru said. “And he knows what he's doing – I mean, REALLY knows what he's doing. I think I want to work with him again.” (Only in porn could you tell a guy's boyfriend, “Hey, your boyfriend is a great fuck, I want to get it on with him again.”)

“You will,” Jui said. They'd reached the main part of the hotel now and were headed for the elevators. “Uruha is really impressed with what you've been doing. He said it's beyond his expectations.” He paused by the elevators. “It's beyond my expectations, too. In all Toya's career, I've only seen him respond this way to one other person – Jun.”

“How long has he been in the business, anyway?” Subaru said. The question was asked out of pure curiosity. He and Toya had engaged in conversations about their past careers, but he'd never gotten a sense of just how long his partner had been doing adult videos.

“He's been in it for a good eight years now,” Jui said. “Almost as long as Jun and I.”

“Really?” Subaru said. “That long? He must have started when he was really young.” Subaru had heard of guys starting in the business when they were underage, using fake IDs – could Toya be one of those?

“Not really,” Jui said. “He was 22. That's actually around the same age you were when you started, isn't it?”

And Subaru just stood there, shell-shocked. One part of his mind did the math . . . and the rest of his mind refused to accept the results.

Thirty? Toya was THIRTY? But . . . but he didn't look that old, didn't act that old, didn't seem that old at all . . .

He's six years older than me, Subaru thought. Six. Years. Older. And we've been sleeping together all this time . . . sleeping in the same bed, even . . .

“Gotta go get ready for the shoot with Toya,” Jui said, pressing the elevator button. “I'll see you later, okay?”

“Okay,” Subaru said, giving a halfhearted wave.

He sank down onto one of the lobby chairs, feeling like his whole body had turned to lead. He'd never liked older men. Never wanted anyone more than a couple years older than him to touch him. And he'd been enthusiastically doing it with a guy who was . . . well, just about as old as Aoi and Ruki, for God's sake!

For the first time since he'd been in the industry, he was flat-out gobsmacked. He had no idea what to think or what to do.

* * *

Yuuki found Subaru wandering around the hotel grounds like a lost soul.

He had gone to scout out the location of the outdoor scene they were filming the next day – the one where he and Yo-ka offered Subaru a job right after Jui fired him – when he noticed Subaru stumbling along a path through the resort, barely noticing the people passing him.

He rushed over to the younger man. “Subaru! What's wrong!”

Subaru blinked. “I . . . I don't know . . .”

“You don't know? Well, SOMETHING happened! You don't normally look like that. Out with it – did any of the crew do anything to you?”

“No,” Subaru said, quietly. “Nothing like that.”

“Is it bad news from home?”

Subaru shook his head. “No . . . no, it's . . .” He looked away, sighing. “Toya,” he said.

“Toya?” Yuuki said. “Did he hurt you in any way? If he did, I will END him. There will be nothing of him left!”

“It's something I found out about Toya,” Subaru said, turning toward Yuuki with a mournful look in his eyes. “He's . . .”

Oh, crap, Yuuki thought, here it comes. He's HIV-positive. He's gay for pay and the whole relationship with Jui and Jun is a sham for the cameras. He's going to quit the industry and he's blaming Subaru.

“He's thirty.”

Yuuki just stood there for a moment. That . . . was it? He was older than Subaru thought? That was IT? Then why the drama? Why the long face? Why the . . .

“I don't like older men,” Subaru continued. “I never have. I don't feel comfortable around any guys that are more than a few years older than me. If I had known he was that old, I would have never co-starred with him. And yet, all this time . . .”

“You've been in love with him,” Yuuki said.

“I can't say that,” Subaru said. “We haven't known each other a lot. But I liked him, Yuuki. I liked him so much. And we had so much fun together. And he was so good to me in bed. And all this time, he was . . .” He looked away. “Something that turns me off.”

Yuuki took Subaru's hand. “Come on – we're going to sit down somewhere where we can talk.” The whole thing sounded silly to him – but he knew it wasn't silly to Subaru. It wasn't the first time he'd heard his friend express his lack of enthusiasm for older men.

It may not seem valid to me, he thought, but the feelings are definitely valid to Subaru.

When they were seated in a back corner of the lounge, he said, “So let me get this straight – you're mad at Toya for not being upfront about his age with you?”

“Not mad,” Subaru said. “Just . . . disappointed?”

“Well, then, did it come up before? Nobody ever asked anyone about their age?”

“No,” Subaru said. “Not at all.”

“So he didn't actually lie to you about his age,” Yuuki said. “You just assumed he was around your age.”

“Well, yes,” Subaru said.

“And you're upset because he was 30, and you didn't know?”

Subaru nodded.

“Subaru,” Yuuki said, “what is it you don't like about older men?”

“It just makes me uncomfortable,” Subaru said. “I knew a couple of guys in college who were dating older guys – mostly so they'd buy them presents and give them money. You know, sugar daddies.There was no love involved – just two people using each other.”

“So you think that after a guy reaches a certain age, he's incapable of real love?”

“Well, no.”

“Do you think he loses his ability to make love?”

“After a certain age? Yes.”

“You think they lose their attractiveness?”

“Well, yes.”

“Subaru,” Yuuki said, “Toya is none of those things. None. You said so yourself – he's sweet, he treats you with respect, he's hot and he's an amazing fuck. He's everything you want. So – he's a few years older. I hate to say this – but isn't your not liking older guys a kind of, well, prejudice?”

Subaru looked shocked. “Prejudiced? Me?”

“I'm not say it's like those guys who hate all foreigners or anything like that. Just, well . . . when you found out his age, you stopped seeing him as Toya and started seeing him as Some Old Guy. But he's not. He's still Toya.”

“But . . .” Subaru said. He sighed. “I wish I'd known. I wish he'd told me before . . . well, before . . .”

“And if he'd told you?” Yuuki said. “You wouldn't have asked for him to be in the video with you, right?”

“Um, well . . .”

“You wouldn't have, trust me. Based completely on his age. And Subaru . . . what would you have missed out on? When I first came up here and saw you, you were absolutely radiant. You were glowing inside and out. It was very obvious you were having the time of your life with this man. In fact, you were glowing so much that I figured I had to check him out – to make sure he was okay.”

“Did he pass?” Subaru said.

“Flying colors,” Yuuki said. “In fact, I was hoping you'd have him as a regular co-star. . . and maybe a part-time boyfriend. If you have time for one, what with your three boyfriends.” He gave Subaru a hug. “Just think it over,” he said. “If you enjoy his company, why does it matter how old he is? Age is just a number. Really. And I wouldn't use a cliché unless it was absolutely true, because I fucking hate cliches.”

Subaru laughed. “I'll think about it. I need a few minutes to be alone, somewhere quiet . . .”

“Of course,” Yuuki said.

“I'm going outside for a few,” Subaru said. “I'll see you later, okay?”

“Okay,” Yuuki said.

Subaru got up and walked out of the lounge, then out of the hotel, then down the path that led to the ice bar and the snow tubing course. He remembered when he and Toya made that video of him drinking the extra-cold drink from the ice glass, how much they'd laughed and had fun.

He really is someone I love being with, he thought. Every moment we've been here in Hokkaido has been wonderful, from shooting the actual video to doing the silly clips for the DVD extras to making sweet, hot love, on-camera and off . . .

No wonder he was so good in bed, he thought. If he's thirty years old with eight years in the business, he's had plenty of practice.

He was passing the snow tubing course. He watched a couple of kids come down together in a tube, laughing. He remembered the day he and Toya had attempted to do “Tube Cam” - having one of them steer the tube down the hill while the other shot video. It was silly and reckless and fun as hell.

Does finding out how old he is change that? Subaru thought. Does it change any of it?

He found himself wondering, where do my views on older men come from, anyway? Part of it is the guys who had sugar daddies, but . . . how much of it is just preconceived notions that older guys can't be trusted?

Subaru thought about the fact that Uruha was about the same age as Toya. Subaru trusted him – with his life, really. But then again, Uruha was a director – not a lover.

He was standing there, still deep in thought, when a voice behind him said, “Subaru?” He turned around. . . and there was Toya, gorgeous as ever, wearing his parka with his hood pulled up against the cold – something that gave him an almost childlike quality.

Subaru turned around. “You're done shooting?”

“Yes,” Toya said. “I was looking for you in the lounge, and Yuuki said you'd wanted some time to yourself, and I figured you'd be out here.” He reached for Subaru's hand. “What's wrong?”

Subaru glanced away. “Toya, do you know how old I am?” he said.

“Um,” Toya said, “you said you were about a year out of university, so . . . 24?”

“Yes,” Subaru said. “And I found out how old you are.”

“Does that bother you?” Toya said. “Because it makes no difference to me at all. I don't believe in being defined by age. If you were 18 or 38, I'd still find you adorable.”

“I . . .” Subaru squeezed his hand. “I always thought, until now, that I didn't like older guys. The idea of being with someone more than a few years older . . . it was kind of a turn-off.”

“Oh.” Toya looked disappointed. “Does that mean . . .”

“But then I met you,” Subaru said. “And, well . . .” He looked down. “I can't think of you as an older man. I just can't. Because you're just you. You're Toya. You can be silly and fun and, well, in bed, you're . . .” He blushed. “You're a dream come true.”

“That's a pretty high billing,” Toya said.

“And I just thought. A lot. And . . . your age may be older than me, but at heart? You're like a teenager. You're young physically and mentally. And I realized . . . I was being stupid, wasn't I?”

“Not stupid,” Toya said, softly. “We all have old attitudes we carry around inside us that we would probably be better off getting rid of.”

“So now, I realize . . . it doesn't bother me. And I'm kind of surprising myself by saying that, but . . . it doesn't. I still find you as gorgeous and sweet and hot as I did when I thought you were my age.” He looked at Toya. “Do . . . do you still find me attractive, since you know I felt that way?”

“Of course I do,” Toya said. “You don't feel that way now, right? I mean, it doesn't bother you?”

“Now?” He took a deep breath. “It doesn't. Not all all.”

Toya hugged him. “Maybe I should have told you right off the bat, before we came here.”

“No,” Subaru said. “Because then I might have let my preconceptions get to me, and, well . . .” He reached up and ran his fingers lightly over the other man's face. “We wouldn't have had what we did.”

“It's been wonderful, hasn't it?” Toya said. “Even Jui noticed it. He said when he first saw us together, we were both acting like a teenage couple. He'd never seen me do that with another co-star before. He was worried at first.” He laughed. “I had to remind him about your boyfriends.”

Subaru leaned his head against the other man, breathing in his scent. Yes, everything about Toya was vibrant and fresh and, well, young. In this case, age really was just a number.

“Toya,” Subaru said, “can we work together again?”

“Of course,” Toya said. “All we have to do is tell Uruha. I'm sure he'll cast us together again. But it doesn't have to stop when we're off-camera. If you have time, and I do, and it's okay with both sets of boyfriends, I'd like to get together sometime.”

“I'd like that, too,” Subaru said. “A lot.” And suddenly, the idea of him and Toya having a few hours to leisurely explore each other was, well . . . just as appealing as it was before he found out his secret.

Toya hugged him closer. “We've only got a couple more days together, you know. Tonight and tomorrow, and then we go back.”

Subaru raised his head. “I . . . I shouldn't be sleeping with you, should I? I mean, your boyfriend is here . . .”

“Jui and I already had that talk,” Toya said. “He said that it's okay if I stay with you. He likes you – he has ever since he rescued you from that thief – and he approves of me being with you. And he likes the idea of us sitting together at the JAVAS.”

Subaru quietly wondered if that was going to extend to the after-after party. He hadn't gone to that last year, of course, because he and Tomoya had gotten together with Mahiro and Junji for the first time. But if they went this year, and Toya was there . . . he could very well end up upstairs with him.

“Come on,” Toya said. “We have a few more scenes to do, remember?”

Subaru nodded, squeezing the other man's hand. They headed back for the main hotel.

I'm so glad I had that talk with Yuuki, Subaru thought. What might I have missed out on if I decided I wasn't going to be with Toya anymore just because of how old he is . . .

Preconceptions were just that – preconceptions. Once you got to know a person, you could find out how wrong your pre-formed opinions were. Subaru had overcome his – which meant he had a few days of being with Toya.

Not to mention what they could do together in the future.

* * *

Yo-ka came into the lounge and saw Yuuki sitting alone. “Where's Subaru?” he said. “You said he was here with you . . .”

“He had some things to talk over,” Yuuki said. “And, well, we talked them over. He went outside.”

“Just what did he have to talk over?” Yo-ka sat opposite Yuuki. “Is he falling too much in love with that guy?”

“He found out he was 30,” Yuuki said. “He was having a hard time digesting that. So we talked, and he went off to think it over, and . . .”

He raised his head. Subaru and Toya were walking toward the lounge, hand-in-hand, seemingly in conversation with each other. No, more like they looked lost in their own world.

“Well, damn,” Yuuki said. He waved at the couple – but they didn't see him. No, they headed straight for the elevator.

“What is it?” Yo-ka said.

“Guess they had that conversation,” Yuuki said. “Subaru and Toya . . . it looks like they're going straight upstairs.”

At that moment, Jui walked into the lounge, looking at his phone – until he glanced up to see Yuuki and Yo-ka. “Oh, hi,” he said to his co-stars. “Have you seen Toya?”

“He went upstairs with Subaru,” Yuuki said.

“Oh, yeah, I'm supposed to be up there, too,” Jui said. “Dialogue scene.” He put his phone in his pocket. “I was just talking with Jun – my other boyfriend. Neither of us have ever seen Toya like this before. It's like . . . when Subaru is in the room, the rest of the world falls away.”

“Subaru has that affect on guys he falls in love with,” Yuuki said.

“I mean, Jun and I both know Toya isn't the type to throw away a long-standing relationship for a pretty face,” Jui said. “We wouldn't have brought him into our relationship if we thought he was. But, damn . . .” He shook his head.

“We've seen this plenty of times before,” Yo-ka said. “Believe me, we know. It'll last a little while, then it'll settle down and he and Subaru will become close friends.”

“It happened with both of us,” Yuuki said. “And MiA. And Hayato. And . . . well, Mahiro became his boyfriend, so that doesn't count.”

Jui shook his head. “He's got some kind of magnetism, I'll tell you that. It's a talent. No wonder he became a star so fast. Okay, I've got to get to this shoot before Uruha fires me.” He waved at them and headed for the elevator.

Once he was gone, Yuuki said, “So much for that.”

“Is this shaping up into just another typical Subaru affair?” Yo-ka said.

“I don't know,” Yuuki said. “There's something that seems different about this one . . .”

Maybe, he thought, it was the conversation he'd just had with Subaru about age. Maybe it would, indeed, be a few weeks of passionate fling followed by a close friendship. Right now, that was all wait and see.

He was just glad he was able to help the boy come to his senses about age. He did like thinking, sometimes, that he could be a good influence on Subaru's life.

* * *

Uruha sat in the hotel room that had been his temporary office throughout the shoot. Most of his things were packed up and ready to go – in about an hour, they were going to head back to the airport and Tokyo.

Everyone, it seemed, was sorry to see this shoot end. The Hokkaido atmosphere had been good for them all – they'd enjoyed having a change from the usual. He'd gotten fantastic performances from his two leads – he knew he was going to have to edit this video under the gun, because he wanted to be able to submit it for consideration at the JAVAs. (Every year, it seemed, he was rushing to get a video ready in time for the judging).

Right now, he was watching the rushes of one of their sex scenes – and it was positively electric. He'd heard it often said by critics and bloggers that what was so hot about a PSC video wasn't necessarily the mechanics of the sex. It was the genuine emotions between the actors.

That was definitely true here. You could sense the connection between those two. They went at each other with such passion, as if they couldn't bear to keep their hands off one another. When they gazed into each other's eyes, it was as if they were looking into eternity.

In short, they looked, for all the world, like real lovers.

You just don't see this every day, Uruha thought. You couldn't buy chemistry like this.

He knew he was going to have to use them together again – and in not just another project. No, it was a super-project he'd been talking about with the writers – something they had never done before. It was a series – not just a movie and a bunch of sequels, but a genuine, TV-style series, shown in weekly installments on their streaming service, then collected on DVD. The writers had even jokingly referred to the project as “Game of Bones” and “The Fucking Dead” – even though it wasn't a fantasy or horror series. No, it was something else.

Uruha picked up his phone and dialed. “Jin?” he said. “Look, remember the thing we were talking about? You know – Game of Bones? Yes, I've got the perfect two romantic leads for it. We HAVE to get these two on video again. I've got some ideas for casting the other parts, too.”

He listened for a moment, then said, “Really? You think we can get him? I mean, I know that whole bunch isn't associated with Adonis anymore, and they started their own company, but I don't think he's done any outside work before . . . if we can, God, yes, write him in! Okay, I'll talk to you more when I'm back.”

He hung up, and went back to the screen. Yes, he definitely had award material on his hands – and a pairing to build on. Together, they were going to create something that was going to set the industry on its ear – and that Heavy Hitter wasn't going to be able to duplicate.

It's times like this, he thought, when I'm very glad I'm in this business.


End file.
